The Governor’s Computer Science Institute (GCSI) offers students practical experience in computer science, coding, and programming to solve real-world problems.

Computer science, coding, and programming drive modern innovation. Computer science allows students to create programs and build applications to solve real-world problems. Opportunities to collaborate and work like computer scientists and programmers are part of the GCSI.

The GCSI requires high schools and county boards of education to actively recruit and assist 9th and 10th grade students during the application window. The school counselor should not be the only individual involved in recruitment. GCSI provides career technical education students an opportunity to get involved in the Governor’s Schools program. High schools should share information about the GCSI with all teachers. Please use the flyer attached below to share this information in classrooms and with teachers who may be able to promote the program.

2024 GCSI Flyer (for High School students)

High School Responsibilities

• Inform all qualifying students of their eligibility. Speak with students about the merit of GCSI.
• Post the flyer in multiple areas of the school.
• Inform students of the application.
• Applications are due by April 15, 2024. Please share this deadline with interested students.
• The school counselor must print transcripts and first-semester student grades as required in the application.
• The school principal is required to sign a certification form. Please assist student applicants with this section of the application.
• The application requires two teacher recommendations. Please inform students to ask teachers for recommendations promptly.

County Contact Responsibilities

• Review all the information about the GCSI on the West Virginia Department of Education (WVDE) website.
• Share information from the WVDE with all high schools and CTE centers.
• Communicate the PDF flyers with all high school principals and counselors to post and share with students and parents.

If you have questions, please contact Dustin Lambert, WVDE State Coordinator of West Virginia Governor’s Schools – dllambert@k12.wv.us or (304) 558-5325.

Faculty Positions

Any person with experience teaching a computer science-related topic in secondary education interested in working with the GCSI must submit an application to Gretchen Gibson at ggibson@k12.wv.us by Jan. 31, 2024.

Residential Positions

Any current West Virginia University (WVU) who is a member of the WVU Honors Program and has lived at least one year in the Honors Hall may apply to be a resident assistant during the GCSI.

Interested students must contact Gretchen Gibson at ggibson@k12.wv.us by Jan. 31, 2024.

Thank you for your interest in the West Virginia Governor’s Computer Science Institute (GCSI). Please review the qualifications listed below before completing Part I and Part II of the application.

Required Qualifications

• Must be a current high school student in West Virginia with plans to attend next school year.
• Must be a West Virginia resident.
• Must be a 9th or 10th grade student at the time of application.
• Must have a grade-point average of at least 3.0
• Must have a recommendation from the school principal (include in your application)

General Information

• The state deadline for Part I and II of the application is April 15, 2024. It is the responsibility of the student to collect all required documents.
• Part II of the application (this form and all supporting documents as required within the application) is submitted directly to the state file submission location (on the last page of this application).
• The application must include a copy of the student’s transcript.

Application Part I

Complete Part I of the application online.

A PDF version of Part I is provided here. We recommend collecting all required documents within the application before starting the online form. We do not accept a PDF version of Part I. Please submit this part online only.

Part I goes directly to the WVDE. Students must complete this part of the application before beginning Part II.

Application Part II

• Part II of the application requires students to type information within the PDF and print pages to be completed by the school counselor and principal.
  • Part II Student Application: Non-fillable PDF.
  • Part II Student Application: Fillable PDF.

Important: Once you have all the required signatures and supporting documents, please scan all documents into one PDF file and electronically submit it to the file upload location below:

Application Part II Upload Folder

The state deadline for applications is Monday, April 15, 2024.

If you have questions, please contact Dustin Lambert, WVDE State Coordinator of West Virginia Governor’s Schools – dllambert@k12.wv.us or (304) 558-5325.

Drop Off and Pickup

Please be advised, parents are required to drop off students on June 16^th and pick up students on June 22^nd at West Virginia University in Morgantown, WV

Handbook and Itinerary

The 2023 Student Handbook and Itinerary are posted below. We share this information only to inform students and parents of expectations and what the experience may look like for the duration of the school.

Information and events within the documents are subject to change as the hosting college/universities/organizations prepare for the summer. Please only use the information as a guide to what might be expected during GCSI.

2023 GCSI Student Handbook
2023 GCSI Itinerary

The West Virginia Department of Education maintains a Facebook page to showcase students during each school. Please visit the page to view all the exciting activities going on throughout the summer.